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Title: What About Bob? (1991)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Bill Murray | ... | Bob Wiley | |
| Richard Dreyfuss | ... | Dr. Leo Marvin | |
| Julie Hagerty | ... | Fay Marvin | |
| Charlie Korsmo | ... | Siggy Marvin | |
| Kathryn Erbe | ... | Anna Marvin | |
| Tom Aldredge | ... | Mr. Guttman | |
 |
Susan Willis | ... | Mrs. Guttman |
| Roger Bowen | ... | Phil | |
| Fran Brill | ... | Lily | |
| Brian Reddy | ... | Carswell Fensterwald | |
| Doris Belack | ... | Dr. Tomsky | |
| Melinda Mullins | ... | Marie Grady | |
| Marcella Lowery | ... | Betty / Switchboard Operator | |
|
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Margot Welch | ... | Gwen / Switchboard Operator |
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Barbara Andres | ... | Claire / Dr. Marvin's Secretary |
Doctor Leo Marvin, an egotistical psychotherapist in New York City, is looking forward to his forthcoming appearance on a "Good Morning America" telecast, during which he plans to brag about "Baby Steps," his new book about emotional disorder theories in which he details his philosophy of treating patients and their phobias. Meanwhile, Bob Wiley is a recluse who is so afraid to leave his own apartment that he has to talk himself out the door. When Bob is pawned off on Leo by a psychotherapist colleague, Bob becomes attached to Leo. Leo finds Bob extremely annoying. When Leo accompanies his wife Fay, his daughter Anna, and his son Siggy to a peaceful New Hampshire lakeside cottage for a month-long vacation, Leo thinks he's been freed from Bob. Leo expects to mesmerize his family with his prowess as a brilliant husband and remarkable father who knows all there is to know about instructing his wife and raising his kids. But Bob isn't going to let Leo enjoy a quiet summer by the lake. By ... Written by Todd Baldridge
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This relatively simple, good Frank Oz comedy is to me one of Bill Murray's best. In here, the former 'Ghostbuster' star is Bob Wiley, a good-hearted obsessive-compulsive who tracks down his new psychiatrist when he goes on vacation with his family; his annoying but good-hearted actions, coupled with the doctor's upcoming TV interview, cause the man to slowly go crazy himself.
I find this film rather polarizing, exactly because of Murray; or, to be more precise, his character. Bob Wiley is good-hearted and enthusiastic to a fault, to the point of being obnoxious. You can't help feeling sorry for the psychiatrist (a very good Richard Dreyfuss) for having to put up with him. And Murray, himself, does a great job; he is not obnoxious in an overly cheerful/clownish way (like Robin Williams, for example), but rather in the comedic OCD way his character is supposed to be. His is merely great acting; a bit TOO good acting, though, as sometimes I myself felt irritated with Bob.
Richard Dreyfuss does a very good job too. His character, an overly-uptight and arrogant 'genius' psychiatrist, is shown in a way that we should feel he deserves the hell Bob inadvertently brought him; yet, because of Bill Murray, we can't help sympathize with him. Still, his breakdown moments are hilarious and the interactions between Dreyfuss and Murray are perfect.
The supporting cast exists, but it is really Murray's and Dreyfuss' show.
In the end, it comes down to how you cope with Murray's character. Whether you can stand him and laugh, or whether you find him so irritating to the point of being unbearable. I certainly found it quite funny and liked it, and would not hesitate to recommend.